Fastening for leggings and boots



Nov. 25, 1930. F. ERHARDT I 1,782,504

FASTENING FOR LEGGINGS AND BOOTS Filed Oct. 17, 1929 Patented Nov. 25, 1930 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE FRED nannnn'r, or Kansas FASTENING FOR LEGGINGS AND BOOTS Application filed October 17, 1929. Serial No. 400,405.

This invention is directed to an improved fastening means for leggings, boots and the like wherein provision is made for an easy andconvenient application of the boot or legging without in any way interfering with the proper form-fitting contour ofthe boot or legging when in fastened relation.

The primary object of the present inven tion is the provision of fastening means so arranged and so related to the boot or leg:

ging structure that when such means is in unfastened or opened relation, a materially increased area or space is provided to facilitate the ready and convenient application of the boot or legging, while at the same time insuring that the boot or legging will have the desired form-fitting contour when the parts are in fastened relation.

More particularly, in a structural sense the invention "contemplates a central strip fenning a portion of the boot or legging and di- Qatively opposite directions wit lower edges from the strip to there vide a maximum area within the now open 'vided therefrom, except for the provision boot or legging to facilitate its application;

the movement of the respective slides to again secure the longitudlnal edges of the central strip to the edges of the main section of the bootor legging restoring such parts to theirno rmal form-fitting shape or outline in a simple, expeditious and convenient manvision of the central strip as of elastic or inelastic material or formed with lon 'tudinal gores to increase the possible widt of the strip at the upper end over the lower end or the provision of such strip of more or less inelastic material and tapering from the upper end toward the lower end, or the PIOVISIOII in both the central strip and adjacent edges The'invention also contemplates the proof the main section of the boot or legging of elastic material as may be found necessary in particular ty es of these articles.

The inventlon is illustrated in the panying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a viewin side elevation showing a legging provided with the improved fastening means, with the parts closed or fastened and the legging in completed form.

Figure 2 is a similar view showing the fastening means open and indicating, the ossible spread of the boot or legging to facilitate the application of the latter in the usual manner.

Figure 3 is a view similar to Figure 1, showing a modified form of central strip.

The present invention is shown ap lied to a legging of otherwise conventional orm, it being understood,;however, that the in'ven- .tion is designed for use in connection with boots or with any form-fitting garment which ordinarily requires to be opened or extended in order to be applied.

accom- As illustrated, the legging, indicated at 1,

I is divided longitudinally throughout its'full 3 length to provide spaced edges 2 and 3. An intermediate or central section 4, which may be, and preferably is, of the same material as the legging, is arranged intermediate the edges 2 and 3 and the edges 5 and 6 of such central section are connected to the respective edges 2 and 3 of the main legging section by conventional slide fasteners, which ma be of any usual or preferred type-and whic need no specific description or illustration herein. The slides of said fasteners, indicated particularly at 7 and 8, are, however,

arranged in particular disposition with respect to each other and with respect to the edges of the central section and of the edges of the main section of the legging? As well known, these fasteners have a terminal position, when fully open, which unite the edges connected at oneor the other terminals, that is, the fasteners donot permit complete separation of the edges, asthe fastening element of such fastenerprovidcs a connection between the edges at whatever point this element may be interrupted in its movement. Advantage is taken of this fact to provide for the results sought by this invention. By arranging the slides 7 and 8 for relative opposite operation, one of the slides, as 7, will move from the lower edge toward the upper edge of the legging in the opening or unfastening operation and the other of the slides, as 8, will move from the upper edge to the lower edge in unfastening. Thus the slides operate in reverse directions and, when moved to unfastened relation, the central strip l will be connected to the marginal edge 3.0f the main section of the legging at one end, say the lower end of the legging, while the opposite edge 5 of the central strip will be connected to the opposite edge 2 of the main section of the legging at the upper end, as clearly indicated in Figure 2 of the drawings.

Therefore, at the lower end and throughout substantially the full length, the marginal edge 2 of the main section of the leggin is free of the connection with the edge 5 o thecentral strip, while at the upper end the marginal edge 3 of the main section of the legging and practically throughout the full length of that edge is free of connection with the edge 6 of the central section. Thus at the lower end and at the upper end, as well as at intermediate points, the main section of the legging is afforded a considerable latitude in transverse distension or spreading and thus ample room is afforded for the introduction of the foot and leg in positioning the le ging. After being positioned, the slides and 8 are moved to closed positions, which unite the edges 2 and 3 of the main section with the edges 5 and 6 of the central section, completing the legging and cansing it to assume its form-fitting shape and contour, as indicated in Figure 1 of the drawings.

As illustrated in Figure 3, the central section 4 may be of greatest width at its upper end and gradually reduced in width toward its lower end. and this central section may. if desired, be of inelastic or elastic material. Furthermore, the central section may be gored or fluted and either of the edges 2 and 3 of the main section or 5 and 6 of the central section or all of such edges may be of elastic material. These various forms are merely to facilitate the form-fitting contour of the element in applied position with the fasteners closed and are entirely conventional in structure and neither need specific description nor illustration.

The salient feature of the present invention is the provision in an article designed to be more or less form-fitting of an intermediate section and oppositely acting fastening means whereby the respective edges of the sections may be connected to the edges of the main portion of the article. The opposite action of the fastening means provides for or permits a. spreading at the lower, upper and intermediate portions of the article without, however, separating the edges one from the other in a complete manner. Thus by mere operation of the fasteners to open position, the article is ready for convenient application to the portion of the body with which it is intended to be used, this movement of the fasteners providing ample room for the application of the garment, as will be obvious. After application, the mere reverse or fastening action of the slides tends to draw the edges of the garment into connected relation and thereby cause the garment or article to assume its form-fitting shape in connection with that portion of the body to which it is applied.

The invention is, of course, applicable to any form-fitting garment or article and completely avoids the necessity of independent fastenings and lacings usually employed with certain of such articles and equally avoids the difficulty of applying or removing the article, particularly noticeable in the case of boots and the like. It will, of course, be understood that there is no limitation as to the width of the intermediate section, as such may be made in any width desired or appropriate for the use intended.

I claim 1. A form-fitting garment having an in termediate section interposed between the free edges of the main portion of the article, and slide fastener means for joining the adJacent edges of the intermediate section and of the main portion of the garment, the slides of said fastener means operating in opposite directions.

2. A form-fitting garment having an intermediate section interposed between the free edges of the main portion of the article, and slide fastener means for joining the adjacent edges of the intermediate section and of the main portion of the garment, the slides of said fastener means operating in opposite directions, the respective slides serving in any position to maintain a fixed connection between the intermediate section and the main section.

3. A form-fitting garment having an intermediate section interposed between the free edges of the main portion of the article, and slide fastener means for joining the adjacent edges of the intermediate section and of the main portion of the garment, the slidesof said fastener means operating in opposite directions, ,the respective slides serving in any position to maintain a fixed connection between the intermediate section and the mainsection, and permanently fixed connections at relatively opposite ends of the slide fastener means.

FRED ERHARDT. 

